Theoretically I started my dissertation this time last year when we had to have initial discussions on a topic. Then I ought to have started properly at the beginning of the academic year last September. My classes got rearranged so I had 3 last semester and only 1 this semester, so I decided not to start until after the exams in December.
When I actually started was about 4 weeks ago when my supervisor suggested that we really ought have a meeting and I thought I really ought to write something for it. 10k words in that time isn’t too bad, especially if it’s something I enjoy and I do enjoy systematic theology. I was sitting at about 6000 words this time last week but by then I was into the bit I really wanted to write about so the rest came quite quickly. In fact I overran, but that gave me a chance to pare down the earlier waffle – the introductory stuff that you pad out in the fear that you’ll never be able to write 10 thousand words on anything.
I also took the view that 10k words is only four sermons (for me), so that seemed to make it feel manageable as well. Add to that that I can only really focus on work with a (very) looming deadline and that’s why it all appeared a bit last minute.